Grain processing apparatus



- Dec. 19, 1944. .`e:. Eer-:DAL .2,365,179

I I GRAIN PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed OCT.. 16, 1941 4 SheebS--Slleel'v l -T0R LAWRENCE E. EGEDAL ATTORNEY v GRAIN PROCESSING .APPARATUS Filed oct. 16, 1941 4 sheets-sheet' 3 FIG.- 10

/NVEN'OR LAWRENCE/5E EDAL ATTORNEY Dec. 19, -1944. E, EGEDAL 2,365,179l

.GRAlN PROCESSING Amafum'us Filed 0G12. 16, 1941 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG'. 16

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joa l /A/.VENTOR LAWRENCE E. EGEDAL ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 19, 1944 uNrrgD STATES APA'I'EN'I orricg 2,365,179 GRAIN PROCESSING APPARATUS Lawrence E. Egedal, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application October 16,1941, Serial No. 415,192 y s claims. (c1. 20s-21) The present invention relates to apparatus for processing grain and other materials. as by abrading, reducing and separating.

An object of the invention is to providean improved apparatus adapted for use in the manufacture of flour and including simple but eifective means for drying and sifting freshly flour and for avoiding heating of the flour during grinding.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for mounting and agitating sieve' members of the apparatus.

A further object is` to provide an apparatus which by relatively simple changes can readilybe used for either grinding or scouring of grain.

Still another object is to provide a grain processing apparatus which is of self-contained charinto the room in which it is operated.

A still further object is to provide a grain processing apparatus which will effectively separate sticks, joints, chaff and other debris from the grain. f

Other objects are to perfect details of construction generally and to provide a structure -which is capable of inexpensive manufacture.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating certain embodiments of the invention,

- Fig. l is a side elevation of a grain processing machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 isa top view of the machine; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken gen- Yerally on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional elevation taken generally on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5.is -a sectional elevation on the line 5-5of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional elevation of a sieve member, showing an edge portion thereof;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing a modified form of sieve member;

taken generally Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of machine including a hopper for siited material;

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 5,

but showing the machine mo'diiled to form a grain `scourer;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken generally along i 'menne nT-uofrig. 9;

acter and which will avoid introduction of dust Fig. 14 is a detail sectional elevation taken generally along the line I4-l4 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a detail sectional elevation of a screen member taken generally along the line I5-I5 of Fig. 13,-and Y v Fig. 16 is a perspective view of one of the ribs of the stationary scouring member of Fig. 10.

Inthese drawings, 20 designates a legged rectangular frame here shown to be formed of metal tubing and mounted on casters 2l. The frame.

includes upper and lower pairs of parallel horizontal bars 22 and 23, the upper bars 22 being connected by a pair of parallel cross bars 24, and the lower bars 23 being connected by a pair of parallel cross bars 25. y v

A housing 26, preferably in the form of an inverted cup, includes a horizontal top wall 21 which 'extendsv below'the cross bars 24 and is rigidly secured thereto by bolts 28. The housing is provided at its upperside with a central embcssment 29 extending upwardly between the cross bars 24 and having a downwardly converging conical seat 30 on which is rigidly mounted a concally formed hopper member 3l to hold grain or other granular material. The hopper member 3l detachably supports thereon a considerably larger upper. hopper member 32 which is further supported in centered position by a ring bar 33 having legs 34 detachably secured to the frame bars 22.

An electric motor 35 extends centrally within the hopper and has a vertical shaft 36, the projecting lower end Loi which extends downwardly through a central aperture 31 in the housing embossment 29. The motor casing has downwardly projecting legs 38 which are .rigidly secured to the housing by bolts 33, the lower hopper member 3| being clamped between the housing andthe motor-supporting legs 38.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6, constituting a flour mill, a stationary grinding member 4D, preferably in thel form of a shallow centrally apertured inverted cup, Ais detachably and adjustably secured to theun..

, der side of the housing wall 21 the grinding member iltting over a laterally notched annular grain feeder 4l which is detachably secured to the housing. The securing means for the grinding mem' ber 40 comprises a surrounding centering and retaining ring 42 which is adiustably secured to the housing by screws 43 passing through bushings 44 screwed into the housing, the ring 42 carrying an inset clamping ring 43 urged inwardly against the periphery of the grinding member by screws 43. A rotatable centrally apertured ginding member 41, preferably' in the form .of a 'grooved abrasive disk, lies below the stationary grinding member 40 and forms therewith a grinding chamber 43, the peripheral portions of the two grinding members being slightly spaced to form an annular abrasive outlet 4! for the ground material. The grinding member 41 is carried on a metal disk 50 secured to the flanged lower end I of a tubular hub member 52 which fits on the motor shaft. The hubbed disk 50 is detachably secured to the motor shaft as by a coupling member 53 fitting in the lower end of the hub member 52 and having a reduced. upper end screwthreaded into the lower end of the motor shaft, the lower end of the coupling member having a flange 54 which is secured, as by screws, to the flanged lower end 5I of the hub member. The direction of rotation of the motor shaft is such as to tighten the screwed connection between the shaft and the coupling member. The rotary grinding member 41 is detachably secured to the supporting disk 50, as by a surrounding retaining ring 55 adjustably fastened to the disk by screws 56, and by a clamping ring 51 set into the retaining ring 55 and urged inwardly against the periphery of the grinding member by screws 58. The disk l5i) is provided with radial varies 59 on its lower face to produce a tanning action as hereinafter more fully described. The housing 26 includes a downwardly projecting marginal vskirt coarse particles are caught in a container 14 set wardly from the rotary grinding member and from the fan.

Removablyresting on the lower bars 23 and 25 of the frame is an annular receptacle 63 of cylindrical shape having-inner and outer walls B4 and 65, respectively, the inner wall forming a central vertical tube open at both ends. The upper edges of the tube-forming wall and outer wall are at approximately the same level, and these edges are provided with respective outturned beads 66 and 51.

A funnel-shaped conduit-forming sieve or screen 68 of pliable or flexible material, such as silk bolting cloth, extends loosely between the housing 28 and the receptacle 63, the walls of the sieve being of conoidal shape and converging downwardly, and the axis of the hollow sieve extending in a generally vertical direction. 'I'he upper edge portion of the sieve has a band 59 which embraces the bead Il at the lower edge of the housing skirt, and the vlower edge portion of the sieve has a similar band 'I0 embracing the bead 66 at the upper end of the receptacle tube 46. IIlhe sieve is thus detachably supported at its upperY and lower ends. Each oi' the sieve edge bands is made elastic, as by means of a pair of laterally spaced elastic ribbons H sewn thereon,

on the oor below the tube. The container 'I4 i may be of any convenient size and in some instances may be as large as the receptacle 63.

The placement of the motor 35 within the grain hopper not only lowers the center of gravity of the machine, but also avoids theuse of an excessively long driving shaft for the abrading rotor. Since the driving motor extends well into the grain hopper and is surrounded by grain during a large part of a milling run, it is desirable to provide .means for adequately cooling the motor. For this purpose the motor casing carries an enclosure comprising spaced concentriccylindrical inner and outer shells 15 and 15, respectively, the outer shell extending above the motor casing and being closed by a top wall 'I1 and a bottom wall 10, and the inner shell extending to the top wall but being spaced from the bottom wall. The annular space 13 between the in, ner shell and the motor forms an air passage which communicates at its lower end with an annular passage-forming space 80 between the inner and outer shells. The upper end of the motor shaft carries a fan 8| which draws cooling air downwardly through a central screen I2 in the top wall 'l1 and forces the air outwardly and downwardly through the annular space 19 between the inner shell and the motor to cool the motor, and then upwardly through the passage 80 between the inner and other shells, the air leaving through openings 83 formed in the upper portion of the outer shell above the levelof the top of the upper hopper member 32.

It is usually desirable to make the frame of the machine of such width th'at it will pass moved from the frame when it is necessary to* move the' machine through doorways or narrow so as to t snugly over the supporting beadsand to prevent leakage and lodging of flour.

the edge of the outer wall of the receptacle and has elastic edge y bands 13` detachably secured to the peripheral bead i2 of the housing and the bead of .the

passages.

In. setting up the machine for use, the receptacle 53 is placed on the frame bars 23 and 24, as

by sliding it along these bars, and the container 14 is set centrally below the receptacle. The funnel-shaped sieve 68 is' thenengaged at its upper and lower elastic edges over the beads 6l and 66, respectively, and the cloth filter cover K 'l2 is similarly secured over the beads i2 and 51.

.passes from the notched feeder 4l into the grinding chamber 48 between the abrasive members, the rate of feed being suitably regulated as by providing a restricted passage for the grain. The grinding members, by their relative rotation,

, 2,365,179 abrade and comminute the grain, the ground meal or flour, including coarse branny particles, being discharged through the annular outlet. 49 between the grinding members. The rotation of the grinding member 41 draws air down i through the mass of grain in the hopper and discharges it through the outlet with the ground meal. The fanning action of the vanes at the bottom of the rotor draws air upwardly through the tube 64 and causes its movement in the direction indicated by arrows in addition to a swirling or rotary motion about the vertical axis of the sieve 68. Some of this air eddies u r into the annular space between the grinding members and the housing skirt 60, mingling with the air and meal discharged from the grinding outlet. The meal-laden air passes downwardly y in a spiral or swirling motion along the inner walls of the conical sieve 68 and some of the air passes outwardly through the sieve together with some of the iines of the. ground meal. In some instances, there may be an inward and upward passage of air through the lower portion of the sieve, as indicated by arrows in Fig. 5. The inward current of air through the lower portion '.of the sieveV will dislodge ground meal from the inner 'walls thereof and permit the dislodged meal to be swept upwardly to the fan. The lower portion of the limp or pliable funnelshaped sieve is urged inwardly by differences of air pressure, thus introducing 'considerable slack therein and causing a longitudinal wrinkling or. corrugating of the sieve.- In some instances, the lower portion of the sieve may be contracted by the diiierential air pressure to such an extent that it will form a throat smaller than the tube 64. The nes which do notI pass through the sieve during their first contact therewith circulate with the air and eventually find their way through the sieve. The siited flour passing outwardly through the sieve falls into the receptacle` 63,

and the excess air passes outwardly through the .porous cloth 'filter cover 12 which'is bulged or bellied out by the internal air pressure. The grinding of the grain liberates heat and moisture, but the flour is kept cool .and rapidly driedby the circulating air, so as to avoid damage to the flour and clogging of the sieve meshes, as

well as enhancing the keeping qualities of the flour. The grinding members are kept cool by the air currents, so as to prevent heating of the flour during grinding. The updraft of air through the tube 64 prevents loss of our through the tube while permittingtheA dropping of the coarse particlesof the meal into the container 14. The air currents in the sieve chamber cause a fluttering, rippling or whipping action of the limp or pliable sieve cloth, thus preventing packling of the flour on the inner walls of the sieve and keeping the meshes open. This agitating ac- -tion usually proceeds in a wave-like manner around the sieve. The air currents also cause a fluttering movement of the cloth cover 12, so as to prevent accumulation or flour thereon. The

downwardly converging walls of the sieve 68- favor the deposit of our thereon at their inner sides, so as to improve the sifting action,'and the downwardly diverging Walls of the cloth lter cover discourage the lodging o-f flour thereon, so as to avoid clogging of the meshes. The upper edge of the sieve 68 meets the lower edge of the housing .skirt 68' belowv the level of the rotor s'o that the flour and coarse particles thrown.

ing particles, thus absorbing the shock and reducing wear on the cloth. The coarse particles which are not too heavy will circulate with the fines' and will aidV in keeping the sieve meshes open'. The sieve and lter cover are'readily removed from4 the receptacle 63 to permit unloading of the receptacle, and are also readily removed from the housing 26 to permit inspection or adjustment of the parts. It Will be obvious that the apparatus may be used to abrade material that is already of a floury nature, and make it ner, and to separate coarser ours from iiner flours.

The machine of the invention, by suitable changes hereinafter described, can readily be used as a grain scourer and tanning mill, this form of the invention being shown in Figs. 9 to 16. For this purpose the stationary grinding member48 and its retaining ring 42 are removed and-are replaced by a centrally apertured disk or plate 85, Figs. 9 to 11 and 14, secured by the screws 43 and having at its under side a series l s of concentrically arranged ribs 86 forming grain 'and is replaced by an abrasive' disk 89, Figs; 9

and 14, which is suiiiciently. close to the ribbed .stationary disk to prevent the passage of grain under the ribs. The abrasive disk 89 is mounted on the hubbed supporting member 58 hereinbefore described, the latter being provided at its under side with a series of radial fan blades 59' which are preferably wider and larger in l number than the iiour mill fan blades 59. The

f tween the adjacent grooves, 'so that the opposite from the rotor will not directly imping'e on and damage the sieve. The .loose pliable sieve cloth- Ajacent ribs and firmly hold them in adjusted disk 85 is preferably provided at its upper surface with a series of concentric grooves 98 to increase the abrasive area, the lower edges of the ribs 86 being centered over lands 9| formed between these grooves. The ribs 86 are here shown in the form of strips, Figs. 11 and v16, suchl as of resilient metal, let into respective narrow annular grooves 92 formed in the disk 85. The ribsare suitably anchored in place as by a series of longitudinally split expansion plugs 93 set into vertical bores 94 formed inthe disk 85 between the grooves 92, each bore laterally communicating with adjacent grooves and having a diameter substantially equal tothe distance besides of each plug will laterally engage the adposition. Each. plug is secured to' the disk 85 by a screw 95 which also serves to expand the plug. Any desired distribution of the grainwithin the channels 81 can be obtained by varying the width of the channels and the width and location of the rib gaps 88. Y

The bolting cloth sieve 68 of Fig. 5 is replaced by va conical metal sieve 96 of wire cloth or perforated sheet metal, Figs. 9 and 14. The upper edge portion of the metal sieve 'has an elastic band 91 which detachably embraces the bead 6Il .on the housing skirt 6l). The open lower end of the metal sieve extends into the upper end of the central tube 64 of the receptacle 63. In some instances, it is possible to use a cloth sieve similar to the sieve 68 of Fig. 5, but having a somewhat coarser mesh. The cloth filter cover 12 is used without change.

The construction above described will serve to scour the grain kernels and to remove the fuzz and dust. However, grain may contain extraneous matter such as sticks, straws, joints and other light bulky objects which will not pass through the meshes of the conical sieve 96. In order to remove such foreign matter, the machine further includes separating means which will conduct such matter to the receptacle 63, whereas the cleaned and scoured grain will be deposited in the container 14. A cylindrical metal screen 98 is arranged concentrically of the scouring rotor and has a diameter slightly larger than the rotor plate 50. The upper end of the cylindrical screen is soldered or otherwise secured to the rabbeted inner edge of a fiat stationary supporting ring 99 which surrounds the rotor plate 50. The ring 88 is carried by spaced hanger rods |00 which are adjustably fastened to the top wall@ 21 of the housing 26 by a screw |0| passing through bushings |02 screw threaded into this top wall. The lower edge of the cylindrical screen is spaced a short distance from the sloping walls 'of the sieve 96 and is suitably reinforced as by a flanged internal ring |03. At its upper portion the cylindrical screen carries a horizontal tangential delivery tube |04, the discharge end of which passes'through an opening |05 in the housing skirt 60. (When the machine is used as a flour mill the opening |05 is closed by the upper sieve band 69.) The delivery tube has an elongated inlet opening |06 which is in the line of blast produced by the fan blades 59. The cylindrical screen carries an inner annular baille ange |01 immediately below the level of the delivery tube |04, so that foreign objects impelled` by the fan will be forced into the delivery tube and will `not escape downwardly along the inner walls the gra-in is placed in the hopper 3|, 32, and descends through the open center of the ribbed disk 85 onto the rotary abrasive disk 89 which runs at a high speed. The grainlkernels are abraded by the grooved rotary disk, removing fuzz and dirt from the kernels and also removing the woody outer portions of the kernels. The high speed rotary disk has a light Contact with the kernels. and removes the dirt-laden outer coating of the kernels without danger of cracking them. The ribs 86 of the stationary disk retard the outward passage of the kernels and also have some abrading action. The grain kernels travel around the channels 81 vof the stationary disk I under urge of the rotating disk and pass from each channel to the next outer channel through the gap 88 in the rib between the channels, as indicated by arrows in Fig. 10. grain may make more than one circuit in each channel before passing to the next channel. The grain kernels are iinally discharged from the rotor through the gap in the outermost rib; and drop onto the conical metal sieve 96, being swept around the sieve by air currents to cause a further abrading action. The fuzz, dirt, dust and other fine removed material discharged from the rotor pass outwardly through the sieve meshes Some of the and fall into the receptacle 63, while the cleaned grain kernels fall through the tube 64 and into the container 14. Any sticks, straws, joints or other light foreign objects in the grain which do not or cannot pass through the sieve meshes will descend along the conical walls of the sieve, and after passing the lower edge of the cylindrical screen 98 will be swept upwardly within the screen by the rising air currents and will be blown outwardly by the fan blades through the delivery tube |04, so that they will be deposited in the receptacle 63. By changing the size and number of the fan blades, any desired degree of buoyant separation can be obtained.

In some instances, the scouring members and 89 can be used as grinding elements in the grinding mill of Fig. 5.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 8,

the receptacle for the flour or slfted material v20 Vdetachably secured to the upper edge of the hopper. The hopper is provided with a valved spout 2 for the discharge of sifted material. With this construction it is not necessary to detach the sieve and cover in order to unload the receptacle. The construction of Fig. 8 may also be used when the machine forms a scourer.

While the machine of the invention is more particularly intended for use inthe processing of grain, it is also capable of use in the treatment of other materials.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a sieve forming achamber with loose limp side walls and having an updraft bottom opening, means for introducing comminuted material into the upper portion of said chamber, said side walls permitting the outward passage of fines therethrough and said bottom opening permitting the gravity discharge therethrough of coarse parts of the material, and rotary fan means in said chamber for causing a'current of air to flow upwardly through .said bottom opening into said chamber and thence outwardly and rotatively against said sieve walls and to wrinkle and agi.4 tate the loose limp side walls of the sieve and to urge the air and fines outwardly through said sieve walls.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a sieve forming a chamber with side walls converging downwardly to an updraft bottom opening, said chamber being adapted to receive therein material to be sifted, and said side walls permitting the outward passage of air and nes therethrough, and rotary fan means at the upper portion of said chamber rotatable on a substantially vertical axis and having a bottom intake and a peripheral discharge for causing a current of air to flow upwardly through said bottom opening and downwardly in a spiral path along the inner sides of said chamber, said chamber having an updraft portion extending between said bottom opening and said fan intake.

3. A device of the character described, comprising upper and lower supports, a hollow sieve forming a chamber` with side walls and having upper and lower ends secured to said respective' supports, said chamber being adapted to receive therein material to be sifted, and said side walls y'I6 permitting the outward passage o1' nes thereto permit the discharge therethrough of coarsev parts of the material, said lower support being a receptacle for the fines, fan means within said sieve chamber for urging air and ines outwardly through said sieve walls, and a lter cover surrounding said sieve and connected to said upper and lower supports, said filter cover permitting the outward escape of air therethrough but preventing the passage of fines.

4. A device .of the character prising a support, a receptacle below said support and having an outer wall portion and a con.. duit-forming inner wall portion, a hollow sieve extending between said support and receptacle and secured at its upper end to said support and at its lower end to said inner wall portion of the receptacle, said sieve forming a chamber with downwardly converging side walls and adapted to receive therein material to be sifted, said sidev walls permitting the outward passage of nes therethrough for deposit in said receptacle, a

lter cover surrounding said sieve and secured at its upper end to said support and at its lower end to the outer wall portion of said receptacle, and fan,means in said sieve chamber for producing therein an upflow of air from Vthe inner wall portion of the receptacle and 'for urging air and nes through said sieve side walls.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a sieve forming a chamber with side walls and having an updraft bottom opening, said chamber being adapted to receive therein material to be sifted, and rotary fan means at the upper portion of said chamber having a bottom intake and a peripheral discharge for causing an current of air to ow upwardly through said bottom opening and downwardly along the inner side of said sieve, said chamber having an updraft portion extending between said bottom opening and said fan intake.

6. A device of the character described, comrprising a housinghaving a downwardly projecting skirt, a sieve secured at its upper end to said housing and forming a chamber with side walls, rotary abrading means withinsaid skirt rotatable on a substantially vertical axis andhaving described, coma peripheral discharge for introducing comminuted material into said chamber, said sieve having an'updraft bottom opening for the discharge of coarse parts pf the material, and fan means within said skirt rotatable with said abrading means and having a bottom intake and periph'- eral discharge for causing a current of air to flow upwardly through said bottom opening and downwardly along the inner side of said sieve.

and having side walls for the outwardpassage of fines therethrough, van annular screen within said sieve andhaving a generally vertical axis and a bottom opening, fan means for causing a current of air to -flow upwardly within said screen and outwardly through thescreen walls, and a; delivery conduit communicating with said I'screen and having a discharge exterior to said 8. A device 'of the character described, comprising a sieve having a generally vertical axis and having side walls for the outward passage of iines therethrough, an annular screen within said sieve and having a generally vertical axis and a bottom opening, rotary fan means at the' upper portion of said screen for causing a current of air to ilow upwardly within said screen and outwardly through the screen walls, a delivery conduit communicating with said. screen and having a discharge exterior to said sieve, said conduit having an entrance portion atapproximately the same level as said fan means, and a baiile member extendingv around the interior 'of said screen adjacent to the lower portion of said delivery conduit, the air currents produced by said .fan means serving to elevate light objects from within said sieve and into said screen and to discharge the same through said delivery conduit.

' LAWRENCE E. EGEDAL.

7. A device of the character described, comprising a sieve having a generally vertical axis 

